A Place to Call Home
by Izzu
Summary: Post Ultra Galaxy NEO. As they about to reach Earth, Rei wondered if he would be accepted there.


az: Random. And because I wanna write emo!Rei and Grande. Felt like I'm losing my touch hahahahahaha.

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><p><span>A place to call home<span>

By honou-no-izumi alias Izzu

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Their journey almost about to come to an end, at least for now. Soon, Pendragon would be reaching the planet Mars—and finally Earth. Then for the first time, he would be able to see that blue planet his comrades had often told him about. Their home... and might as well be, _his_new home. Aside from Pendragon of course.

For someone allegedly being referred to as the Reionyx of the Earth, of the humans; it was strange to think he knew nothing of that blue gem. Would he be accepted there? Would he not? He was so afraid that he would not be accepted by those other humans he would likely meet in future, what with that last time when those officers wanting to keep him in custody. Just because he could control monsters to fight.

If they knew he was actually an Alien Rayblood—half at least—how would they react to it? He knew that even Boss had worried about that some time, that should explain the many times he had told him that he would protect him...

Somehow he felt unsure suddenly.

xxx

Rei looked out towards the sky. How... quaint. To think, people of the Earth have succeeded in terraforming this planet, into having almost the same atmosphere—so that they would be able to live here. So this is Mars... and somewhere over there, is Earth.

As he continued staring at the sky, he heard footsteps approaching him. He snorted. He actually _came_ here.

"Oi! I took some effort into travelling to this far-off galaxy to find you and all you can do... is _laugh_ at me?"

Rei turned towards the man before he sighed. "It's not like that, Grande."

Before the other man could respond to that, a ball of light shot down towards Rei's side. The area around them was bathed in a bright light before Rei opened his eyes again to see Kate's spirit standing before him. He gasped in surprise.

"Sis...!"

Realizing that the one he had wanted to see again have appeared before him, Grande started tending to his appearance though his efforts was not being noticed.

Kate folded her arm around herself as she stared at him. "What is it? I sensed that you needed me... yet I see nothing that is troubling you. Is there something wrong?"

Rei hastily looked away. He could not believe that it actually worked. He never really gave a thought before on how to summon his sister's spirit to appear—one, because that did not crossed his mind before; and two, because he was not really sure what he could have done to summon her to him. So it was not a waste of time to call Grande to meet him here...

Someone coughed to get their attention.

"Ehem... _Rei..._"

Rei turned to see Grande's eyes boring into him. "... could _you_ **introduce** me to this _lovely _lady?"

Suddenly he felt like he wanted to bury his head into the ground. Here his sister's spirit had come to him because she thought he was in danger yet on the other side, half his intention was to fulfil his _bargain _with the Keelian as well as hope this would convince guy to no longer seek him for another Reionyx battle.

"Umm...", his throats was suddenly dry. "S-Sister, this is Grande... and umm... Grande, this is my sister, Kate."

"Kate..." Grande repeated almost in a daze as he stared longingly towards the female spirit.

Kate frowned. "I... see. Raymon, isn't this man a Reionyx as well? Didn't you defeat him?"

"I DID... defeated him. I just did not want to take his life. The victory was already decided... anyway," Rei turned his eyes away from her.

Kate shrugged.

"So... what's the reason for you to want to see me again?" she asked Grande as she turned towards him. "My little brother wouldn't have arranged this without reason. You wouldn't just happened to be here by coincidence as well."

Grande shifted bashfully as he chuckled softly. "Umm... well, why can't I? I mean, you're a beautiful lady..."

Kate laughed. "Yet you would not hesitate to take my little brother's life in battle? How... charming."

"Hey... I did _save_ your brother when daddy-o wants to take his body for himself! Shouldn't that count for something? I mean... would you like me better if I don't try to kill your brother again?" he asked as Kate laughed harder.

"Do you mean to imply that you have an interest on me? Even if right now, I can only exist as a spirit? What would me in this state be of any benefit to you?"

"But what if... you acquired a new body..."

Kate turned around in amusement towards her brother. "Hmm? That reminds me... you _did_ have something that troubles you. Or else, your voice wouldn't have been able to reach me. What is it... little brother?"

Rei bit his lips. Kate had placed her hand on his cheek and as expected, aside from the gentle tug he felt in his heart... there was nothing else. Kate _did _exist now as a spirit. He never really given much pondering about this before... but she _is_his sister.

He never really thought about it much but as they got nearer to reaching Earth, everyone in Pendragon had started telling all these stories of their families at home. He thought also of Haruna and her brother. Those emotions that he felt from them, it was similar to how they had for him. Is that... what they mean by family? They did tell him that he was like their own family after all. But the only actual family he had was his sister... and his father—though whatever relationship they had together would not be the same as what his comrades have with their families.

Love. It was clear that his fellow comrades loved their family members. Could he say the same for himself? His father aside, did Kate loved him as a younger brother? Did he loved her like that as well? He thought he felt something similar to that, that time before Kate's body disappeared. She had cried then... did Kate cared for him in the same way that Boss, Haruna, Kumano and Oki cared for their families? When she had disappeared... something in his chest had hurt. He could not even recall all the things Kate did before to awaken his dormant abilities, all of that did not matter any longer.

He did not really get the chance to know her much... after all. And even if he had, he did not have any recollection of that. Did Kate really loved him? She did return to save his life when he had supposedly _died_. She was the one who told the others to recover his Battlenizer in order to restore his soul to his body. He still remembered her gentle smile, when she told him that his comrades were calling for him. She also had given him that smile after saying she would support his decision to defy their father. Despite the fact she had also wanted him to become the next Rayblood heir.

_Don't die_..., she had said then. She should have cared for him... right? At least more than how his father _cared_ for him. Or else... she wouldn't have to go as far as sacrificing herself to make him stronger. She would have aimed for the Rayblood legacy for herself!

If Kate would be able to regain her body... he... she... they should be able to—if she was by his side, as well as Boss and the others, it might not be so bad. If no other human would accept him living with them, he should be fine just having his sister and the Pendragon crew with him...

Kate glanced up towards the sky.

"Are you worried that you would not be accepted _there_? Didn't you have your comrades by your side? You should be fine. Even if I am like this now, you know that I'll always be with you. You are my precious little brother after all..."

Rei felt his cheeks warmed. He never felt this concious of himself whenever he acted childlike with boss or the others, but somehow... with Kate, he did not want her to see him behaving like a child.

"Umm... it's nothing really. I guess, I was just... being nervous." Rei replied half-heartedly.

Grande started to fidget with his hands. "But you know... it shouldn't be so bad either... if you could acquire one. I mean..."

Kate let out a chuckle as she turned to address the Alien Keel. "Even if I do get a new body, it won't be because of _you_. Don't be so pleased yet."

She turned towards Rei again.

"You've already succeeded to changing the path of your destiny. You've proven yourself strong enough to overcome any obstacle that lay in front of you. You will be fine." Kate slowly embraced Rei before releasing him. "Besides, if the humans tried to do anything bad to you... they'd soon regret thinking about it."

She sighed. "It's been long enough, your comrades must be looking for you by now." She smiled at him before disappearing in a burst of bright light. Rei shrugged to himself as he thought of his sister.

"Heh. It seemed this trip was not a waste of time after all," said Grande suddenly as he flicked one of his earrings. "Well... that's done. But next time make sure you convince your sister to get a new body! And make her keep that appearance too, okay? For now... I guess this is where we part, hmm?"

"Eh?" Rei blinked as he looked up to see Grande leave for his spaceship. Before he could say anything, the Alien Keel had left the planet. He shook his head.

One thing after another, eh? Grande seemed to be so serious about his sister. But then again, it would be very awkward if he do end up having Grande as part of his own family. Rei still cannot forget that time when Grande had made fun of his old Battlenizer. That Grande had a very annoying personality. It would be hard to bear with him should that ever happens. Kate probably would think the same.

Rei turned towards the ZAP SPACY's Mars military base, where Pendragon had landed in order to refuel and resupply. Kate was right, they should be looking for him by now. He should not make them worry.

About the impending arrival on Earth, perhaps his fears had been baseless. After all, he had his family by his side.


End file.
